Water closet coupling

ABSTRACT

A water closet coupling comprises a plastic annular connector providing flow communication between the drainage outlet of a water closet and an installed drain waste conduit, and a radial securing flange. The securing flange is connected to the annular connector by means of a helically threaded connection which permits vertical and rotational adjustment of the flange.

McEwen 1 4, 1973 WATER CLOSET COUPLHNG 3,319,268 5 1967 Blumenkranz 4252 R 3,360,805 1 1968 Aumann 4/252 R [75] Inventor -i Em McEwen3,409,918 11 1968 Gaddy 4 252 R Omar"), Canada 3,579,670 5/1971 Frank 4252 R a [73] Assignee: Multi Fittings Limited, London,

Ontario, Canada [22] Filed: July 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:,272,653

52 us. c1. 4/252 R, 4/68, 277/101, 285/32, 285/56, 285/58 [51] lnt. Cl.E0311 11/13, F16] 15/00, F16] 5/00 [58] Field of Search 4/68, 252 R,170, 4/191; 277/101; 285/32, 33, 56, 61, 59, 58

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,700,774 2/1955 Smith 4/68Primary Examiner-Henry K. Artis Attorney.l. A. Legris [5 7 ABSTRACT Awater closet coupling comprises a plastic annular connector providingflow communication between the drainage outlet of a water closet and aninstalled drain waste conduit, and a radial securing flange. Thesecuring flange is connected to the annular connector by means of ahelically threaded connection which permits vertical and rotationaladjustment of the flange.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures WATER CLOSET COUPLING This invention relatesto plumbingfittings and is concerned particularly with an improvedconstruction of water closet coupling for physically and operativelyconnecting a water closet having a drainage outlet to a floor and to aninstalled drain waste outlet.

A water closet coupling of this type normally comprises an annularconnector having an outlet end adapted to receive one end of the drainwaste conduit and an inlet end adapted for flow communication with thedrainage outlet and in flow communication with the drain waste conduit,the inlet end providing aradially outwardly extending securing flangeadapted to be bolted to the water closet in its installed position andto the floor.

In recent years the trend has been towards making such couplings, or atleast the annular connectors of such couplings, of a plastics materialwhich can be joined to a plastic drain waste conduit by solvent welding.In one known construction the securing flange is molded integrally withthe annular connector. This construction has the disadvantages that itis expensive to manufacture, that the flange lacks the strength of ametal or other rigid flange, and that the flange is difficult to orientwith respect to the floor fastenings owing to the rapid set time of thesolvent weld. In another known construction the securing flange is aseparate member adapted to be snapped into position on the annularconnector, during assembly. This construction has the disadvantage thatthe flange can become detached from the annular connector when upwardpressure is applied to the latter, as for example when the drainage pipeexpands thermally. In yet another known construction the securing flangeis of metal and is adjustably secured to the annular connector by meansof an interrupted thread connection. This construction has thedisadvantage that the interrupted thread connection, while beingsuperior to the snap-on connection of the previous construction, reliesupon the strength of a single, interrupted annular lip.

.It is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedconstruction of water closet coupling which overcomes the disadvantagesof the known constructions and has the additional advantage of providingfor adjustment of the height of the securing flange from the floor toaccommodate varying thicknesses of floor coverings and/or varyingthicknesses of gaskets.

According to the present invention the securing flange is separable fromthe annular connector and is connected thereto by a helically threadedconnection contiguous with the inlet end of the connector whereby topermit vertical and rotational adjustment of the flange relative to thefloor. The helically threaded connection, which is uninterrupted for atleast one turn of the helix, is much stronger than the type ofconnection provided by an interrupted annular lip and groove.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, one embodimentthereof will now be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is an exploded generalperspective view of the water closet coupling; and

FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken through the axis of the coupling.

The coupling illustrated in the drawings comprises essentially anannular connector and a securing flange 1 l. The annular connector is ofa plastics material which can be joined to a plastic pipe by solventwelding,,a.nd is preferably of polyvinyl chloride or a copolymer of.acrylonitrilebutadiene/styrene. The annular connector 10 comprises afirst cylindrical portion 12, defining an outlet end 13, a secondcylindrical portion 14, defining an inlet end 15, and a frust'o conicalintermediate portion 16. The first cylindrical portionis adapted toreceive and be solvent welded to, oneend of an installed drain wasteconduit 17, the latter being located against a downwardly facing annularstep 18 projecting from the inner surface of the first cylindricalportion. The second cylindrical portion 14 is adapted to receive thedrainage outlet of water closet 19, the connector providing flowcommunication between the drainage outlet and the waste conduit 17. Thesecond cylindrical portion 14 also has a helically threaded externalsurface 20 contiguous with the inlet end 15.

The flange 1 1, which may be of metalor of rigid plastics material suchas a polycarbonate, comprises a radially outwardly extending main flangeportion 21 and an inwardly directed lip 22 which extends continuouslyfor at least one turn of a helix corresponding to the pitch of thethreadedsurface 20, the lip 22 constituting an inwardly directedthreaded portion which is engageable with the threaded surface 20 formounting the flange 11 on the connector 10. The main flange portion 21is formed with an outer rim constituted by a downwardly turnedperipheral flange 23, the upper edge of the rim being knurled as shownat 24. A pair of diametrically opposed arcuate slots 25 are formed inthe main flange portion 21, these slots being adapted to receivefastening bolts 26 for mounting the water closet 19 to the flange 11.Also formed in the main flange portion 21 are a plurality of apertures27 adapted to receive fastening screws 31 for securing the flange to thefloor 28.

As illustrated in FIG. 3 a gasket 29 is clampted between the drainageoutlet of the water closet l9 and the annular connector 19. It will beobserved that the helically threaded connection between the annularconnector 10 and the flange 11, besides providing considerable strengthfor resisting axial forces tending to separate them, provides a usefuldegree of adjustment. Thus, by rotating the flange the slots 25 can bebrought into the required angular relationship to the bolts 26 formounting the water closet 1'9, and at the same time the height of theflange is adjusted to suit different thicknesses of floor coverings 30,or gaskets 29 of different thicknesses.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A water closet coupling for physically and operatively connecting awater closet having a drainage outlet to a floor and to an installeddrain waste conduit, the coupling comprising an annular connector and anannular securing flange, the annular connector having an outlet endadapted to receive one end of the drain waste conduit and an inlet endadapted for flow communication with the drain outlet and in flow communication with said outlet end, the annular connector having a helicallythreaded external surface contiguous with said inlet end, the annularsecuring flange being formed with an inwardly directed helicallythreaded portion engageable with said threaded surface for rotatably andadjustably mounting said flange on the annular connector, and a radiallyoutwardly directed main flange portion having a plurality of angularlyspaced arcuate slots therethrough adapted to receive fastening membersfor mounting the water closet to the flange.

2. A water closet coupling according to claim 1, wherein the annularconnector is of plastics material.

3. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein the plasticsmaterial of the annular connector is selected from the group consistingof polyvinyl chloride and polymers and copolymers of styrene,acrylonitrile, and butadiene.

4. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein the securingflange is of metal.

5. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein the securingflange is of a rigid plastics material.

6. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein said inwardlydirected helically threaded portion is constituted by an inwardlydirected lip extending continuously for at least one turn of thethreaded connection between the connector and the flange.

7. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein said mainflange portion has a plurality of angularly spaced apertures adapted toreceive fastening members for fastening the flange to the floor.

8. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein the annularconnector comprises a first cylindrical portion defining said outletend, a second cylindrical portion of larger diameter defining said inletend, and a frusto conical intermediate portion, said second cylindricalportion providing said helically threaded external surface, and saidfirst cylindrical portion providing an internal annular step adapted toabut against the end of the installed drain waste conduit.

9. A water closet coupling according to claim 3, characterized in that:

a. the securing flange is of rigid plastics material,

b. the main flange portion has a plurality of angularly spaced aperturesadapted to receive fastening members for fastening the flange to thefloor, and

c. the annular connector is formed with an internal, downwardly facing,annular step adapted to locate the connector against the end of theinstalled drain waste conduit.

1. A water closet coupling for physically and operatively connecting awater closet having a drainage outlet to a floor and to an installeddrain waste conduit, the coupling comprising an annular connector and anannular securing flange, the annular connector having an outlet endadapted to receive one end of the drain waste conduit and an inlet endadapted for flow communication with the drain outlet and in flowcommunication with said outlet end, the annular connector having ahelically threaded external surface contiguous with said inlet end, theannular securing flange being formed with an inwardly directed helicallythreaded portion engageable with said threaded surface for rotatably andadjustably mounting said flange on the annular connector, and a radiallyoutwardly directed main flange portion having a plurality of angularlyspaced arcuate slots therethrough adapted to receive fastening membersfor mounting the water closet to the flange.
 2. A water closet couplingaccording to claim 1, wherein the aNnular connector is of plasticsmaterial.
 3. A water closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein theplastics material of the annular connector is selected from the groupconsisting of polyvinyl chloride and polymers and copolymers of styrene,acrylonitrile, and butadiene.
 4. A water closet coupling according toclaim 2, wherein the securing flange is of metal.
 5. A water closetcoupling according to claim 2, wherein the securing flange is of a rigidplastics material.
 6. A water closet coupling according to claim 2,wherein said inwardly directed helically threaded portion is constitutedby an inwardly directed lip extending continuously for at least one turnof the threaded connection between the connector and the flange.
 7. Awater closet coupling according to claim 2, wherein said main flangeportion has a plurality of angularly spaced apertures adapted to receivefastening members for fastening the flange to the floor.
 8. A watercloset coupling according to claim 2, wherein the annular connectorcomprises a first cylindrical portion defining said outlet end, a secondcylindrical portion of larger diameter defining said inlet end, and afrusto conical intermediate portion, said second cylindrical portionproviding said helically threaded external surface, and said firstcylindrical portion providing an internal annular step adapted to abutagainst the end of the installed drain waste conduit.
 9. A water closetcoupling according to claim 3, characterized in that: a. the securingflange is of rigid plastics material, b. the main flange portion has aplurality of angularly spaced apertures adapted to receive fasteningmembers for fastening the flange to the floor, and c. the annularconnector is formed with an internal, downwardly facing, annular stepadapted to locate the connector against the end of the installed drainwaste conduit.